eIPP: Fast-Tracking Faster eVTOL Air Mobility for America 🇺🇸

On Friday, September 12, 2025, Sean P. Duffy, the U.S. Transportation Secretary unveiled the pilot program within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fast-track advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft such as drones and eVTOLs. The Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) consists of 5 programs of great importance, meant to achieve the goals outlined in the President’s Executive Order 14307 of June 6, 2025 titled “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” which not only covers drones, but also eVTOLs.

Five different pilot programs include:

• Short-range air taxis 
• Longer-range, fixed wing flights  
• Cargo 
• Logistics and supply serving emergency management, medical transport or off-shore energy facilities 
• Increasing automation safety

This initiative allows state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments to collaborate with private sector companies that have proven expertise in developing, producing, and operating eVTOL and other Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft. The goal of the program is to accelerate the adoption of these U.S.-developed technologies by helping shape regulations, policies, and strategies that support the safe integration of eVTOL and AAM operations.

A hint about the executive order and subsequent eIPP initiative could be seen during the Paris Air Show, when Adam Goldstein, CEO and co-Founder of Archer Aviation stood alongside U.S. Transportation Secretary, Sean P. Duffy and said:

“If you ever wanted to see a bat signal go up into the air and say AAM is here, eVTOLS will be built, they’ll be certified and brought around the world, that’s today.” – Archer CEO and co-Founder Adam Goldstein

The eIPP has been been lauded by the eVTOL community, including some leaders of eVTOL OEMs and partners as another sign of the direction the administration has been accelerating towards ensuring Americans everywhere will be able to reach the sky using eVTOLs as a means to take them where they need to go. Both US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford proudly proclaimed the great significance of this historic program.

“The next great technological revolution in aviation is here. The United States will lead the way, and doing so will cement America’s status as a global leader in transportation innovation,” “That means more high-paying manufacturing jobs and economic opportunity. By safely testing the deployment of these futuristic air taxis and other AAM vehicles, we can fundamentally improve how the traveling public and products move.” – US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy

“This pilot program gives us another opportunity to advance the Administration’s plan to accelerate safe eVTOL and advanced air mobility operations across the United States.”….”We will take the lessons learned from these projects to enable safe, scalable AAM operations nationwide.” –   FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

Below are some statements made by leading American eVTOL OEMs and partners:

“This is a landmark moment for our industry and our country. We have an Administration that is prioritizing the integration of eVTOL operations in U.S. cities ahead of full certification in a pragmatic way. We’ll demonstrate that air taxis can operate safely and quietly.”… “These early flights will help cement American leadership in advanced aviation and set the stage for scaled commercial operations in the U.S. and beyond.” – Adam Goldstein, Archer Founder and CEO.

“When United invested in Archer back in 2021, it was because we believed electric flying taxis could redefine how we move around our passengers in and around the cities they are departing and arriving at every day. Today, that vision is closer than ever.”……“This program underscores President Trump’s and Secretary Duffy’s commitment to American innovation and to bringing advanced technology to market for our customers.” – Mike Leskinen, United Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,

“President Trump has long recognized the significance of America’s leadership in the next era of aviation and this initiative ensures our nation’s leadership will continue.”… “We’ve spent more than 15 years building the aircraft technology and operational capabilities that are defining advanced aerial mobility, and we’re ready to bring our services to communities. We look forward to demonstrating our aircraft’s maturity and delivering early operations in cities and states nationwide.” – Greg Bowles, Chief Policy Officer at Joby. 

“For years, BETA has been working to transform the future of aviation, developing, manufacturing, and showcasing technologies that have the potential to drive real benefits in communities across the U.S. and the globe.

That’s why we’re starting with medical, cargo, and logistics. The eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) is a critical step in maintaining U.S. leadership in aerospace, and it reinforces the Administration’s dedication to enabling a new era of American innovation. We applaud the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration for implementing the White House’s Executive Order. We’re excited by this opportunity to take our real-world demonstration activities to the next level as part of this program.”

BETA Technologies – via LinkedIn

1) Key Players

The OEMs, their subsidiaries, and partners listed below, will play a crucial role within eIPP.

1.1) Joby (confirmed eIPP applicant), Subsidiaries, and Partners:

Joby, which has over 40,000 miles of flight testing of its aircraft, with almost 600 flights within this year, definitely has the experience in developing eVTOL aircraft. Furthermore, the production capabilities at its Dayton, Ohio manufacturing plant will allow it to produce the quantities required to meet the large demand already shown for the Joby S4 eVTOL. Toyota, which has been a longtime backer of Joby, which also be able to provide their large-scale manufacturing expertise. Through its autonomous aviation company Xwing, it fulfills the criteria for increasing the safety of autonomous aircraft.

Joby Aviation

• Headquartered in Santa Cruz, California
• NYSE: JOBY
• major eVTOL manufacturer
• Manufacturer of S4 eVTOL aircraft
• Will develop hybrid-electric version, and is currently testing a hydrogen-electric version
• First transition of a full-scale, prototype aircraft on 2017.
• First piloted transition flight on April 22, 2025
• Acquired INFRAS in 2021 and the autonomy division of Xwing in 2024
• Received a total of $894 million in investment from Toyota
• Has obtained numerous defense contracts with the Pentagon and collaborates on testing of its eVTOL aircraft

Blade Air Mobility

• Founded by CEO Rob Wiesenthal
• 50,000 passengers worldwide in year 2024 alone
• 12 urban terminals worldwide
• NYC
  • JFK Airport
  • Newark Liberty Airport
  • West Side Manhattan
  • East Side Manhattan
  • Wall Street
• Hamptons to NYC
• Europe
  • Nice Airport
    • Monaco
    • Saint-Tropez
    • Toulon Hyères
    • Marseille

INRAS

• Based in Linz, Austria
• Acquired by Joby on December 21, 2021
• Co-founded by Andreas Haderer and Andreas Stelzer
• Expertise in radiofrequency (RF) systems design, advanced radar sensors, processing boards, and real-time signal processing
• Leaders in airborne sensing and autonomy

XWING (autonomy division)

• Founded in 2016
• Based in Concord, California
• Acquired by Joby in 2024
• Worked on autonomous aircraft since 2020
• First company to obtain large unmanned aerial system (UAS) certification from the FAA (April 2023)
• First company from AFWERX’s Autonomy Prime program to obtain Air Force Military Flight Release in 2024 as a Contractor-Owned, Contractor-Operated Public Aircraft Operation (PAO) in unrestricted airspace
• Created Superpilot software for autonomous flights
• over 300 fully autonomous flights and 500 auto-landings
• participlated in:
  • Agile Flag 24-1
    • 2,800 miles of fully autonomous flight
  • Agile Flag 24-3 (as part of Joby)
    • 3,900 miles of fully autonomous flight
  • ReFORPAC 2025
    • 7,342 miles of fully autonomous flight

H2FLY

• Founded in 2015 by Professor Dr. Josef Kallo and 4 other engineers at the University of Ulm and the German Aerospace Center (DLR)
• Based in Stuttgart, Germany
• Acquired by Joby in April 2021
• Accomplished world’s first piloted flight of a liquid hydrogen-powered electric aircraft in September 2023, using H2FLY’s  HY4 demonstrator aircraft in Maribor, Slovenia
• Dr. Josef Kallo was part of the team who launched the the world’s first piloted aircraft  using 100% hydrogen fuel cells power on July 7, 2009

UBER Elevate

• Established in 2016
• Acquired by Joby on January 11, 2021
• Led by Jeff Holden (Chief Product Officer) and Nikhil Goel (Product Manager, Uber Elevate and Advanced Programs)
• Offered Uber Copter services in NYC (2019-2020) in competition with Blade Air Mobility

Uber published a white paper authored by Jeff Holden (Chief Product Officer) and Nikhil Goel (Product Manager, Uber Elevate and Advanced Programs) on On Oct 27, 2016, titled “Fast-Forwarding to a Future of On-Demand Urban Air Transportation” which laid the framework for Uber Elevate.

Toyota Motor Company

• Headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan
• Founded on August 28, 1937
• Major global automotive manufacturer
• $394 million injected by Toyota into Joby Aviation in 2020 as Lead Series C investor
• additional $500 million invested into Joby, bringing total to $894 million of investments made by Toyota
• lends Joby its expertise in manufacturing, quality control and cost efficiency

L3HARRIS

• $21B+ Company with many capabilities:
  • Autonomous Systems
  • Command and Control
  • Electronic Warfare
  • ISR and SIGINT
  • Missile Warning and Defense
  • Resilient Communications and Networks
• Works on autonomous  FVR (Fixed-Wing, VTOL, Rotary) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
  • FVR-90 Airframe
• Will work with Joby on sensors, aircraft autonomy, and other tech related to VTOLs
• building Smart Swarm technology through its AMORPHOUS™ open-architecture platform

Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina (TBMNC)

• Located in Greensboro, North Carolina
• Manufacturer of lithium batteries for Joby S4 eVTOL aircraft

1.2) BETA Technologies (confirmed eIPP applicant):

BETA Technologies, which has focused on cargo, medical transport (such as organs and supplies), and logistics with its fixed-wing ALIA cTOL automatically applies to 3 of the 5 pilot programs outlined within the eIPP, and 4 out of 5 when including the autonomous ALIA MV250 hybrid-electric eVTOL. BETA Technologies has also developed a large network of eVTOL chargers throughout the US. This charging network could be a included within the logistics or supply aspects. With over 40,000 nautical miles flown during testing as of April 2024, BETA says that it has flown more than testing flights than any other eVTOL OEM.

BETA Technologies

• Based in South Burlington, Vermont, with BETA’s structures engineering division located in Montreal, Quebec
• manufacturer of the ALIA eVTOL and eCTOL aircraft
• ALIA:
  • eVTOL and CTOL versions
  • 5 passengers
  • less than 1 hour charging
• Created eVTOL charging network across the United States

1.3) Archer (confirmed eIPP applicant), Archer Defense, and partners:

Archer has been extensively testing its eVTOL aircraft, and is backed by automotive conglomerate Stellantis, which will provide Archer with the large-scale manufacturing expertise required to produce its Midnight eVTOLs and export them throughout the world. Archer is pursuing autonomous aviation and has partnered with Wisk Aero on that front. In 2024, Wisk Aero purchased Skygrid, which has worked on AI integrated operating systems for aviation. Boeing, which owns Wisk Aero and Skygrid, has been a financial backer of Archer Aviation. Like Stellantis, Boeing has long time relationships with part suppliers, and mass production which will be extremely beneficial to Archer. United Airlines has been a long time investor and dedicated customer of Archer, and plans to purchase up to $1.5 B worth of their eVTOL aircraft.

Archer Aviation

• Based in San Jose, California
• NYSE: ACHR
• eVTOL and hybrid VTOL manufacturer
  • Archer Midnight eVTOL
    • 1 pilot + 4 passengers
    • up to 150 mph
• United Airlines, top customer with up to $1.5B order for hundreds of Archer eVTOLs
• Collaborates with Stellantis on implementing advanced manufacturing techniques into aerospace

Stellantis

• Based in Auburn Hills, Michigan (CEO’s Office), with Legal Office in Hoofddorp, Netherlands
• Comprised of 14 major automotive brands and a 2 mobility arms
• Automotive brands including:
  • Chrysler
  • RAM
  • Dodge Trucks
  • Jeep®
• Mobility arms:
  • Free2move
  • LEASYS (a leading leasing company in Europe)
• Will provide up to $400M to cover manufacturing labor costs and capital expenditures through 2030 at Archer’s ARC facility in Covington, GA

Free2move

• Founded in September 2016 by PSA Peugeot-Citroën Group
• Based in Paris, France, with US operations based in Auburn Hills, Michigan (Stellantis North America HQ)
• Offers:
  • Parking Services
  • Car Rentals
  • Car on Demand
  • Ridesharing (Washington DC and Europe)

Skyports Infrastructure

• Founded in 2018
• Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company
• Designs, obtains permits and builds vertiports
• Operates vertiport networks globally
• Technology
  • Landside terminal management
  • Airside resource management
  • Operational status supervision
  • Data integration

United Airlines

• Founded on April 6, 1926
• Nasdaq: UAL
• Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois
• Scott Kirby (CEO)
• Will augment their commercial passenger aviation business with Archer Midnight eVTOLs across Los Angeles, NYC, Chicago, and many United Airline hubs and vertiports
• $25M invested in Archer in 2021
• purchase agreement of up to $1.5B worth of Archer Midnight eVTOL aircraft
•  $10M pre-delivery payment for the first 100 Archer Midnight eVTOL aircraft
• In August 22, 2024, United Airlines funded a portion of the $215M generated in an oversubscribed Private Investment in Public Equity (PIPE) funding round

Boeing

• Founded on July 15, 1916
• Headquartered in Crystal City, Virginia
• NYSE: BA
• 3 divisions:
  • Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA)
  • Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS)
  • Boeing Global Services (BGS)

Wisk Aero

• Based in Mountain View, California
• Wholly owned subsidiary of aerospace giant Boeing
• Bought AAM 3rd party service provider Skygrid in 2024.
• Manufacturer of eVTOL aircraft for air taxi service
• Collaborates with Archer Aviation on autonomous flight

Skygrid

• Based in Austin, Texas
• AAM Third-Party Service Provider (TSP)
• Airspace and operating system platform using AI, to link data, traffic, and infrastructure.
• Wholly owned subsidiary of aerospace giant Boeing

Anduril

• Based in Costa Mesa, California
• Privately held
• Focused primarily on drones, and military applications
• Partnership with Archer Aviation in Archer Defense

Palantir Technologies

• Based in Denver, Colorado
• Other offices across America, including in Palo Alto, California
• Focused on Software and Big Data Analytics, Civilian and Military/Intelligence products.
• Works with Stellantis and Airbus on data utilization in manufacturing, and other operations.
• Collaborated with Stellantis since May 25, 2022, using Palantir’s Foundry to further increase the manufacturing efficiency across all of the 14 brands at Stellantis. Production speed, vehicle quality, supply chain performance, sales, and scale marketing being some of the key areas for improvement.
•  Worked with Airbus since 2015. Palantir Foundry improved efficiency in Airbus’ manufacturing of its A350 aircraft. Within the same year Airbus increased the delivery speed by 33%. In 2017 Palantir and Airbus created Skywise, which is a data analytics provider.
• Archer Aviation plans to use Palantir’s Foundry and Palantir AIP (Artificial Intelligence Platform) to increase productivity at its San Jose, California and Covington, Georgia plants.

1.5) Electra (unconfirmed eIPP applicant)

Electra’s hybrid-electric ultra STOL provides unique capabilities for AAM.

Primary focus:

• Community Connections
  • Intercity Connectors: 
    • Direct air links for residents of major metropolitan areas and their surrounding regions, offering a quicker alternative to traditional transportation.
  • Commuter Corridors: 
    • Rapid air transport between suburban neighborhoods and primary employment hubs, bypassing traffic and reducing commute times.
  • Small Community Services:
    • Vital transportation options for remote or underserved areas, helping bridge geographic gaps.
• Leisure Launchpads: 
  • Direct flights to and from popular recreational spots—like coastal towns, mountain resorts, and lakefronts—using ultra-convenient access points that eliminate long car rides and busy airport hassles.
• Airport Feeders: 
  • This model enhances the role of general aviation airports and helps reduce congestion at major hubs. By using alternative surfaces like ramps and taxiways for departures and landings, the system improves overall efficiency. Remote terminals with security and parking services streamline the passenger experience, easing pressure on crowded terminals and airspace.
• Airport-Free Cargo: 
  • Freight companies can bypass traditional airports and instead transport goods directly between production sites, warehouses, and distribution points. While many smaller airports already support charter cargo operations, there’s a lack of seamless short-range logistics. Ultra-short takeoff aircraft can fill this gap, offering quick delivery in areas with limited infrastructure but high demand for speed.

Electra

• Based in Manassas, Virginia
• Founded by Dr. John Langford (former founder & CEO of Aurora Flight Sciences)
• MIT Professors John Hansman and Mark Drela served as Technical Advisors
• Manufacturer of hybrid-electric ultra STOL (short takeoff and landing) aircraft
• 150 ft ground roll
• 1,110 nautical mile ferry range
• 9 passenger capacity or 3,000 pounds of cargo for 330 nautical miles
• Signed MoA with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® 
• 2,200 pre-orders from 60 plus operators worldwide

1.6) Government Players

These entities within the US Department of War, and civil government agencies such NASA, have been long-standing partners of eVTOL OEMs, and have provided grants, testing opportunities, expertise and user input.

412th Test Wing

• Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California
• Operations group of 3,000 personnel
• Maintenance group of 2,000 personnel
• Collaborating on testing with Joby on the S4 eVTOL

413th Flight Test Squadron

• Hurlburt Field, Florida
• Collaborating with BETA Technologies on BETA’s ALIA aircraft, Charging Cube and Mini Cube

Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)

• Main scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force.
• 12,500 employees across nine technology areas
• Headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (home of the Wright brothers)
• Technology directorates:
  • 711th Human Performance Wing
  • 711th HPW/USAF School of Aerospace Medicine
  • 711th HPW/Human Effectiveness
  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
  • AFWERX
  • Directed Energy
  • Information
  • Integrated Capabilities
  • Materials & Manufacturing
  • Munitions
  • Sensors
  • Space Vehicles

AFWERX

• Program the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
• Innovation arm of the Dept of Air Force
• Connects innovators across government, industry and academia
• 1,8881 companies transitioned to Phase III ($7.5 B )
• 2,665 new companies included in small business portfolio of Department of Air Force (DAF)
• Headquarters in Dayton, Ohio
• 3 Hubs
  • Austin, Texas
  • Washington, DC
  • Los Angeles, California
• partnered with BETA Technologies since December 2019
  • Beta provided three simulators, including a mobile simulator that has conducted pilot training and demonstrations and two Level-3 electric chargers

Agility Prime (AFWERX)

• Founded in 2019
• Vertical lift and landing (VTOL) development program run by the Department of the Air Force in collaboration with the Army
• Provided small business partners more than 60 contracts totaling more than $390 million in the eVTOL and hybrid VTOL market
• 14 billion injected into private-sector commercial investment in the AAM industry
• Joby Aviation performs testing with the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base, California
• Facilitated XWING obtaining Air Force Military Flight Release in 2024 (the first in AFWERX’s Autonomy Prime program)
• Supports Joby’s hydrogen-powered aircraft testing, which culminated in Joby’s history 523 mile flight of a hydrogen-electric S4 eVTOL (developed with Joby’s subsidiary H2FLY)
• In 2025, Beta Technologies completed three months of operational experimentation and training with the 413th Flight Test Squadron
• In 2023, Electra was awarded up to $85 million in combined private, government, and SBIR matching funds via a  Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) award

Autonomy Prime (AFWERX)

• Focuses on:
  • Autonomy Proving Grounds
    • Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) test beds
    • Multi-program high-performance computing and data pipeline
  • Robotics Software Architecture
    • Sensing/Positioning
    • Multi-Agent Teaming
    • Inter-Robotics Comms Architecture
  • Strategic Operations
    • Multi-Sensing Swarming UAS
    • Rapid autonomy kits
    • Long-Range Kill Web (LRKW)
    • Attritable Intelligence
  • Enabling Technologies
    • Computer Vision, Collaborative Autonomy, Multi-Sensor Fusion, Low Cost Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS)
    • Mission capabilities for early risk reduction
      • Alternative Positioning
      • Navigation & Timing (Alt-PNT)

Defense Innovation Unit

• The only DoD agency solely dedicated to deploying and growing commercial technology at commercial rates throughout the U.S. military
• Works with L3Harris to implement AMORPHOUS™ throughout the military

NASA

• Collaborates with Archer Aviation to evaluate the safety, energy output, and power performance of the battery cells used in Archer’s air taxi, with testing conducted at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
• Partners with Joby are studying how humans interact with autonomous systems to develop effective management strategies for operating air taxis with minimal human oversight from the ground.
• NASA’s research with Xwing is providing essential data from flight and ground operations, along with algorithms, and assessing safety management systems to help ensure the safe operation of autonomous aircraft.
• Works with Boeing to explore, test, and assess autonomous technologies and tools aimed at supporting the development of AI standards.
• Wisk and NASA are studying how people interact with autonomous systems to develop effective strategies for managing air taxis with minimal ground personnel. Their work aims to identify the technological requirements needed to support safe and regular operations of multiple Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft.

NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign

• NASA Aeronautics Projects Contributing to the AAM Mission
  • Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations Project
  • Air Mobility Pathfinders Project
  • Air Traffic Management-eXploration Project
  • Convergent Aeronautics Solutions Project
  • Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology Project
  • System-Wide Safety Project
  • Transformational Tools and Technologies Project

2) Manufacturing

2.1) Joby Aviation

“Committed to American Innovation”: Leveraging top-tier talent at its facilities in California and Ohio, Joby conducts its eVTOL aircraft design, manufacturing, and testing entirely within the United States. The company utilizes advanced technologies such as data analytics and 3D printing to create components that are more lightweight, durable, and adaptable. With the recent expansion of its Marina location, Joby aims to create hundreds of full-time positions to scale up eVTOL aircraft production.

The 435,500 sq ft facility in Marina, California will be set up to product 24 aircraft per year. Longtime backer Toyota will provide Joby large scale manufacturing expertise.

It is by no coincidence that Dayton, Ohio is the headquarters of AFWERX. Dayton was chosen as the location for Joby’s manufacturing plant and testing facility for components of Joby’s Pilot Production Line. Built on a 140-acre site at Dayton International Airport, the property can eventually hold 2 million square feet of manufacturing space.

“Reimagining urban mobility takes speed, scale, and precision manufacturing. Our expanded manufacturing footprint in both California and Ohio is preparing us to do just that.”….“We celebrated the opening of the new facility with the flight of our sixth aircraft, which earned airworthiness certification within a week of completion.” – Eric Allison, Chief Product Officer

2.2) Archer Aviation

2.2.a) “Integrated Test Lab and Manufacturing Facilities” in San Jose, California

Archer’s 68,300-square foot “Integrated Test Lab and Manufacturing Facilities” in San Jose, California.

• “Automotive Style” Battery Pack Line
• Precision Electric Engine Manufacturing Line

15,000 battery packs per year are planned to be produced at Archer’s “Integrated Test Lab and Manufacturing Facilities” in San Jose, CA

Archer was approved by CAEATFA for a sales and use tax exclusion with an estimated savings for Archer of ~$10M over the next few years

2.2.b) “ARC”

The construction of “ARC“, the roughly 400,000 square foot eVTOL aircraft manufacturing facility located on an 100 acre property in Covington, Georgia was recently completed in December 2024. It began construction in March 2, 2023.

Archer plans to produce around 650 eVTOL aircraft per year by 2030 at the “ARC” plant, but it can be expanded to double the size (800,000 square feet) increasing the manufacturing capability to 2,300 eVTOL aircraft per year.

This ambitious goal of 650 Archer Midnight eVTOL aircraft being produced per year, will be backed by the $400M allocated by Stellantis for manufacturing labor costs and other expenses at the “ARC” plant until 2030.

“Supporting Archer’s electric aircraft growth with our deep manufacturing expertise is a great opportunity for the two companies.”… “Congratulations to the Archer team for this milestone. It is a significant step in our journey together as we take clean mobility to the sky.” – Stellantis Chief Manufacturing and Supply Chain Officer Arnaud Deboeuf

2.2.c) Mission Critical Composites

Mission Critical Composites

• Based in Huntington Beach, California
• Aerospace company specializing in:
  • Composites, Compositing, Layup, Prepeg, Plying, Kitting,
  • Complex Structures,
  • Hardware, Honeycomb, Commercial Space, Composite Lamination,
  • Crew Capsules, and Composite Rocket structures

Archer is taking production in-house with the acquisition of Mission Critical Composites’ 60,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Huntington Beach, CA. The facility, along with critical composite tooling and assets, positions Archer to rapidly prototype and iterate defense airframes with increased agility.

This move vertically integrates key fabrication capabilities, reducing reliance on outside vendors and streamlining Archer’s ability to deliver military-grade hardware at speed.

2.3) BETA Technologies

BETA Technologies’ manufacturing plant located in South Burlington Vermont is a 187,000 square-foot facility that will produce all-electric eVTOLs and CTOLs, as well as hybrid electric and autonomous variants for military contracts.

3) Global Exports & Certification

3.1) “Five Eyes” Streamlined Certification

The Five Eyes (FVEY) 

• Made up of The United States, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia
• Shares intel between the respective countries
• Originated out of cooperation during WW2
• Has connections with military and civilian government agencies throughout the world

The National Aviation Authority (NAA) Network: A Unified Approach

In 2022, the National Aviation Authority (NAA) Network was established to standardize the certification of eVTOLs and other AAM aircraft. This network brings together the aviation authorities of the Five Eyes countries to ensure a consistent and efficient approach to certifying these new aircraft types. The goal is to minimize duplication of efforts, reduce approval timelines, and facilitate the global deployment of safe and reliable AAM technologies. The US Federal Aviation Administration, UK Civil Aviation Authority, the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, the Australian Government Civil Aviation Safety Authority and Transport Canada / Transport Canada have all got on board to make the NAA Network possible.

The Path Forward: Accelerating the Adoption of eVTOLs

The collaborative efforts of the Five Eyes countries within the National Aviation Authority (NAA) Network are setting a global precedent for the certification of eVTOLs and other AAM aircraft. By harmonizing certification standards and sharing best practices, these stakeholders are paving the way for the safe and efficient integration of advanced air mobility into the global transportation network.

As the certification processes continue to evolve, ongoing dialogue and cooperation among international regulators will be essential. The success of these initiatives will not only accelerate the deployment of eVTOLs but also enhance public confidence in the safety and reliability of these innovative aircraft.

Roadmap for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Aircraft Type Certification

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in collaboration with aviation authorities from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, has unveiled the “Roadmap for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Aircraft Type Certification” (Edition 1.0, April 2025). This strategic document outlines a unified approach to certifying emerging aircraft technologies, such as electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles, aiming to streamline processes and ensure safety across international borders.

“The Roadmap’s foundation is built on agreed principles, collective action, strategic expansion, and a commitment to shaping a responsible and dynamic pathway for AAM certification.” NAA Network

Key Principles of the Roadmap

1. Safety and Innovation: Balancing stringent safety standards with the promotion of technological advancements.
2. Harmonized Type Certification: Developing a phased approach to align certification standards, focusing on performance-based requirements and mutual acceptance of compliance methods.
3. Collaboration and Alignment: Fostering cooperation within the National Aviation Authorities (NAA) Network and with other key regulatory bodies.
4. Collaborative Multi-Authority Validation: Leveraging opportunities for joint validation of AAM aircraft undergoing type certification.
5. Incremental Approach: Implementing a “crawl, walk, run” strategy, starting with piloted AAM aircraft and gradually progressing to remotely piloted and autonomous systems
6. AAM-Inclusive Bilateral Agreements: Establishing and updating bilateral agreements to facilitate streamlined validation of AAM aircraft.

Strategic Implementation

The roadmap emphasizes a collaborative approach, encouraging aviation authorities to:

• Align airworthiness requirements and certification processes.
• Share safety data and best practices to enhance global standards.
• Engage with industry stakeholders to ensure practical applicability of certification criteria.

This collective effort aims to reduce redundancy, accelerate certification timelines, and promote the safe integration of AAM aircraft into the National Airspace System (NAS).

In conclusion, the Five Eyes countries’ unified approach to certifying eVTOLs represents a significant step forward in the realization of a new era in aviation. Through collaboration and standardization, they are laying the groundwork for a future where advanced air mobility is a safe, efficient, and integral part of daily life. While certification will still require hard work and attention to detail, the process now wont be so unnecessarily redundant and wasteful of resources.

4) Infrastructure

4.1) Vertiports and Venues

4.1.a) Archer

Archer is collaborating with United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Signature Aviation, Atlantic Aviation, Modern Aviation, Skyports and Air Pegasus on Vertiports.

Planned vertiports in the LA area include:

• Los Angeles International Airport (Atlantic Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines)
• University of Southern California
• SoFi Stadium & Hollywood Park
• Orange County (Southwest Airlines, United Airlines)
• Santa Monica (Atlantic Aviation)
• Hollywood Burbank (Atlantic Aviation, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines)
• Long Beach (Kilroy Realty)
• Van Nuys (Signature Aviation)

Part of the agreement between Archer Aviation and NBCUniversal, will also include access to storytelling during the 2028 Opening and Closing Ceremonies in Los Angeles, as well as other Olympic Games coverage by NBCUniversal in 2026 and 2028.

In the New York City Metropolitan area, planned vertiports include:

• Downtown Skyport (Skyports)
• West 30th Street Heliport (Air Pegasus)
• West 34th Street Heliport (Atlantic Aviation)
• EWR – Newark Liberty International Airport (Signature Aviation, United Airlines)
• JFK International Airport
• Republic Airport
• Teterboro Airport (Signature Aviation, Atlantic Aviation)
• LGA – LaGuardia Airport (Modern Aviation, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines)
• Westchester County Airport (Signature Aviation, Atlantic Aviation)

“New York is known not for just keeping pace with the future, but defining it.”…“The city’s plan to invest in and reimagine the Downtown Skyport underscores a clear commitment to innovation that serves the public good. Advanced Air Mobility is safer, cleaner, quieter, and more affordable than today’s aviation, opening up new, efficient ways to move people and goods.” –  Kyle Clark, Founder and CEO of BETA Technologies.

United Airlines, as a partner of Archer Aviation, will have a vertiport at Bush Intercontinental Airport Houston (IAH). Houston is one of United Airline’s major hubs.

4.1.b) Wisk

Wisk Aero is working on veriports in the Houston Metropolitan Area:

Vertiports include:

• Intercontinental Airport Houston (IAH)
• Energy Corridor
• Downtown Houston
• Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR)
• Hobby Airport (HOU)
• Ellington Airport (EFD)

4.1.c) Blade Air Mobility

Blade Air Mobility, recently acquired by eVTOL manufacturer Joby Aviation, offers helicopter flights throughout NYC and to the Hamptons. Uber will offer Blade Air Mobility’s services within the Uber app next year. eVTOL flights between vertiports will naturally progress, as the certification, production, and all other requirements keep up with the huge demand for these eVTOL aircraft and services. Blade works with Skyports Infrastructure on maximizing the Downtown Manhattan Heliport’s capability into becoming a first class vertiport for America’s most populous city.

Current locations served by Blade Air Mobility in the NYC area:

• JFK Airport
• Newark Liberty Airport
• West Side Manhattan
• East Side Manhattan
• Wall Street
• The Hamptons

“Skyports and Blade are committed to transforming the Downtown Manhattan Heliport into one of the leading Electric Aircraft vertiports in the world. This alliance with Blade will serve to meaningfully accelerate this common mission to unlock the skies for eVTOL flights.” – Nathan Alexander, Vice President of Rotorcraft at Blade

4.2) Charging stations

4.2.a) BETA Technologies

BETA Technologies has developed a network of fast chargers for eVTOL aircraft, that can also be used for ground vehicles. This key infrastructure add charging capabilities to existing airports will increase the capability for eVTOLs, electric CTOLs, and Ultra-Short eSTOLs.

BETA Technologies charging stations for eVTOLs and electric ground vehicles:

Charge Cube (Permanent Charge Solution)

• AC Voltage Connection: 480 Vac, 3 Phase, 60 Hz
• AC Grid Current: 420 Amps
• Continuous Power: 320 kW
• Battery Charge Range: Up to 1,000 Vdc
• Continuous: 350 Amps
• Authorization: Phone App + Plug and Charge
• Charging Protocol: CCS

“Our market entry strategy here is cargo, logistics and passenger in CTOL, utilizing all that manufacturing certification expertise into VTOL, and our belief is that actually puts us in the market in VTOL passenger [operations] faster than anybody else in this space.” – Kyle Clark, BETA’s founder and CEO

“We see great value in real-world demonstrations, both to understand performance and mission fit, but also to bring local communities in what this technology offers.”.. – Patrick Buckles, BETA’s Sales Lead.

Mini Cube (Mobile Charge Solutions)

• AC Voltage Connection: 480 Vac, 3 Phase, 60 Hz
• AC Grid Current: 20–60 Amps, Configurable
• Continuous Power: 40 kW
• Battery Charge Range: Up to 1,000 Vdc
• Continuous: 60 Amps
• Authorization: Phone App + Plug and Charge
• Charging Protocol: CCS

5) Cargo & Logistics

Many eVTOL companies will manufacture aircraft that have applications that meet the criteria for the Cargo and Logistics pilot programs within the eIPP.

5.1) BETA Technologies

BETA Technologies, which has extensively focused on cargo, logistics, and medical transport, will undoubtedly be a key contender in this arena.

ALIA A250 (all electric)

• Range: 121 nm
• Payload: 1,125 lbs
• Cabin Volume: 200 ft³
• Max Airspeed: 153 kts

5.2) Electra

Electra EL9 Ultra Short aircraft

• 9 passengers OR 3,000 lbs max payload
• 150 ft Takeoff distance
• 175 knots cruise
• 1,000 nautical mile range + IFR reserves
• hybrid-electric technology

5.3) Joby

Joby has successfully demonstrated autonomous cargo delivery during REFORPAC 2025

During the exercise, Joby’s Superpilot™ autonomous system successfully operated a Cessna 208 Caravan on multiple long-distance flights over the Pacific Ocean and Hawaiian airspace. The autonomous Superpilot™ system logged 43.7 flight hours, covering a total distance of 7,342 miles. The Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft conducted six sorties, flying for 14 hours and traveling 2,416 miles. Additionally, the mission involved a roundtrip ferry flight spanning 4,925 miles, during which Superpilot™ successfully executed a trans-Pacific crossing, including landings and taxi operations at the designated airports. Remarkably, some flights were controlled remotely from ground stations located thousands of miles away in Guam, demonstrating Joby’s ability to manage aircraft remotely over vast distances.

The missions carried out by the modified Cessna 208 Caravan covered a range of scenarios, including rapid cargo transport within a theater of operations, dynamic mission changes, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks. These flights took place in diverse airspace environments, from controlled Class B, C, and D airspaces to uncontrolled areas, under both visual and instrument flight rules. This wide operational envelope underlines the versatility and reliability of Joby’s autonomous system.

6) Conclusion

For those with the patience to have read this lengthy article, one can clearly see there is a multitude of partners and key players vital to the success of each eIPP applicant. The wide array of entities (investors, customers, business partners, subsidiaries) that will stand to gain from the success of their aligned eIPP applicant is a preview for the ripple effect across current or future partners, investors, and other companies/entities not mentioned within this article. Thanks to initiatives like the eIPP, AAM is going to experience a major tidal wave of prosperity across America. The American skies will be within reach for millions more of Americans, who will benefit from safer and faster travel, that will in-turn boost their quality of life and allow them to increase productivity of the Nation.

Stay tuned to eVTOL buzz for eIPP’s next groundbreaking milestone, where we provide deep dive analysis and the big picture of the eVTOL and AAM industry! ✈️

More Info:

Archer Plans For Air Taxi Trial Participation Under White House eVTOL Pilot Program With U.S. Airlines and Cities: click here

Joby Plans to Jumpstart US Operations through White House eVTOL Integration Program: click here

H2FLY successfully tests fuel tank filling for HY4 hydrogen-electric aircraft, dubbed a “world’s first”: click here

Antares DLR-H2 – Fuel cell testing under aeronautical conditions, modelling and test: click here

Free2move official website (US site): click here

LEASYS: click here

Archer Announces Landmark Infrastructure Deal with Signature Aviation: click here

Wisk Aero and Houston Airports Partner to Bring Autonomous Air Taxis to the Greater Houston Region: click here

Wisk and the City of Sugar Land, Texas, Partner to Bring Autonomous Air Taxis to the Greater Houston Region: click here

Joby Expands Manufacturing Capacity in California and Ohio, Adds New Aircraft to Its Fleet: click here

Joby demonstrates potential for emissions-free regional journeys with landmark 523-mile hydrogen-electric flight: click here

United, Houston Airport System Invest more than $2B in Terminal B Transformation: click here

United Airlines teams up with Archer for eVTOL air taxi in Chicago: click here

Archer Unveils Vision for New York Air Taxi Network, Including Routes Between Manhattan and Nearby Airports in Partnership with United Airlines: click here

Archer Announces Key Terms Of Contract Manufacturing Relationship With Stellantis–Representing Up To ~$400M To Help Scale Midnight Production To 650 Aircraft Annually–Secures $230M In Additional Equity Capital From Strategic & Institutional Investors: click here

BETA Technologies’ LinkedIn post: click here

Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Unveils New Plan to Fast-Track Advanced Air Mobility Vehicles: click here

Electric aircraft carries out casualty evacuation: click here

BETA’s ALIA electric aircraft arrives at Eglin Air Force Base for testing: click here

Joby Selects Dayton, Ohio, Birthplace of Aviation, For First Scaled Manufacturing Facility: click here

Toyota and Joby Aviation are Flying to New Heights Together: click here

Wisk Aero, Archer, and Boeing Reach Agreement To Settle Litigation and Enter into Autonomous Flight Collaboration; Boeing Invests in Archer’s Latest Funding Round: click here

Archer Closing Oversubscribed PIPE as Part of $215M Investment Round Led by Stellantis; ARK & United Are Two Key Investors in the PIPE Signifying Intersection of Innovative Financial Institutions & Traditional Aerospace Investing in Disruptive Tech: click here

NASA Advanced Air Mobility Partnerships: click here

As Quiet as it Sounds: Joby S4 eVTOL achieves significant reduction in noise pollution: click here

NASA Aeronautics Projects Contributing to the AAM Mission: click here

NASA Drop Test Supports Safer Air Taxi Design and Certification: click here

NASA Uses Wind Tunnel to Test Advanced Air Mobility Aircraft Wing: click here

NASA Tests 5G-Based Aviation Network to Boost Air Taxi Connectivity: click here

Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations Project: click here

Air Mobility Pathfinders Project: click here

Building the Infrastructure for Advanced Air Mobility: click here

BETA Technologies Manufacturing and Assembly Facility: click here

Blade Air Mobility to Partner with Skyports Infrastructure to offer flights Between Downtown Manhattan and JFK Airport: click here

Atlantic Aviation Extends Agreement, Begins Preparation for Aircraft Charging Infrastructure at NYC’s East 34th Street Heliport: click here

U.S. Air Force Awards Electra Strategic Funding Partnership Valued up to $85M to Develop Full-Scale Pre-Production eSTOL Aircraft: click here

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